Scat from a canopy monkey. And in its excrement was the remnants of a very specific type of fruit. A fruit only those monkeys were able to consume as they were immune to the plant’s poisonous effects. I’d forgotten the scientific name, but its nickname was death blossom.
It wasn’t the fruit itself that was dangerous. It was the pollen of the flowers. The moment it touched your skin, you’d develop welts. And within minutes, paralysis and possible death. Now I needed to figure out a way to get them to touch the flowers.
Gods, I hope they don’t know about this.
I scanned the trees and forest before me. “This way,” I jerked my head when I spotted the bushes bearing bright purple fruit and blooms nearby.
Fortunately the terrain was challenging, and the only path forward was in between two of those shrubs. There was no way to walk among them without touching the flowers. But how could I make them go first? I had to ensure neither Cerise, nor I, touched those blooms.
I pretended to trip so I could catch Cerise’s eye. Of course, the brilliant woman had already noticed the plants and gave me a subtle nod, understanding the plan.
I tipped my head forward, the shrubs now only a few feet away. “That way. The smell is getting stronger.”
The leader plodded ahead, pushing through the bushes with enthusiasm, his one-track mind determined to find his prey. Two other men followed him, leaving Cerise and I behind with the last.
A gasp sounded from Cerise. She’d tripped—though I thought it was on purpose—and was on her knees on the ground. I stopped and knelt next to her.
“I’m sorry,” she said to the man standing over us. “I’m just so tired. We’ve been going non-stop for hours. I need to rest. Please just let me rest for a few minutes.”
He reached down and yanked both of us up by our arms. “Keep going. You said we’re almost there. Once we capture that cat, we won’t need you any longer.”
The intention in his words was clear. Cerise and I glanced at each other, wide-eyed. They still planned to kill us afterward.
As he pulled us forward, joining the group stepping through the bushes, the other men began to scream in pain.
“My skin! It’s burning!”
“Oh gods. Fuck! It fucking hurts!”
Signaling to Cerise with the tilt of my head, we yanked out of his grip at the same time, easily now he was distracted by the screams. Out of his hold, I kicked his backside, shoving him into the plants.
Cerise and I stumbled backward, our captor scrambling to rise, cursing as he prepared to come after us.
I flared a little fire in my hand, burning away the ropes with ease, then did the same for Cerise.
It was pure chaos. The poachers continued to scream, now appearing back through the bushes and rubbing at their arms, necks and other exposed skin. They yelled at each other, begging for relief, while Cerise and I backed away slowly.
The leader’s eyes caught on us, as if he’d forgotten our presence. “You! You did this!” he shouted, chasing after us.
“Run, sunshine,” I urged, taking her hand and pulling her with me into the jungle, taking off the way we’d come.
Chapter 21
Stubborn Woman
Cerise
“Run, sunshine.” Liam grabbed my hand and pulled me into the jungle after him.
I pushed myself harder than I’d ever run in my life. I hated exercise—that was obvious by the way my lungs burned and I could barely keep up with Liam—but the adrenaline kept me going as I leaped over a tree branch.
The leader chased after us, shouting curses in the midst of his pain. It wouldn’t be long before he collapsed, but it needed to happen fast. My energy was already waning.
“Come on,” Liam urged. “Hurry, Cerise.”
I stumbled over a branch, Liam catching my arm to keep me upright. On and on we ran. It was likely only seconds, but felt like hours. Over fallen trees, under low branches, through shrubs.
The poacher still followed, showing no signs of slowing as he gained on us. Pushing through a dense copse of vegetation, my foot became tangled in a vine. Fueled by fear, I yanked it out. Something popped, and searing pain tore through my ankle.
